online supply store

what homebrew supply online store would yall say is the best.. as far as customer service, speed of shipping and quality of merchandise? i been looking on austin and midwest.. are there others that are better?

In no particular order: morebeer.com, northernbrewer.com and austinhomebrew.com are very popular on this site.

A new one just opened up that seems to be doing well: brewmasterswarehouse.com

I'd pick something close to you, probably austinhomebrew.

The four sites that Deathbrewer posted were the exact same as the four I was about to list. Seems he's a bit quicker with a keyboard than I am.

I'll add Midwest Homebrewing Supplies to the list. I've heard great things about their shipping times and customer service, and they are who I am currently using. --Disclaimer-- I am new at this, and they're the first people I ordered through.

The best reviews I've read so far, as far as customer service go, are from www.brewmasterswarehouse.com Plus, the guy who runs it is a regular here on this forum, so it feels good to support a fellow HBT'er.

Edited: My most recent order through Midwest was some yeast and corn sugar. Within about 12 hours of the purchase, I got an email from Fedex saying that it had shipped. Can't argue with results like that.

You might also check out Williams Brewing - they seem to have the most variety in malt extracts. I think I heard on a podcast that you get $5 off with a coupon code, which you can find online somewhere, I am sure. I haven't purchased from them myself, however.

Austin Homebrew is my favorite because of their presence on this site and them not forcing you to buy set amounts of LME - you can order exactly the amount you want. Shipping has been a bit on the slow side recently, which isn't ideal if you use liquid yeast.

I am planning to check out http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com soon as well, after having heard many good things about them.

i just ordered a belgian wit from austin as they are close to me.. so we will see how it works. thanks for all the input

Another vote for MidWest. Even with shipping their "6 pack" of extracts was cheaper than the LHBS.

i'd second the suggestion of ordering from the one closest to you of the ones listed, which would probably be austin homebrew supply. Forrest is great and the fact that you are in state would mean shipping would be quick, though maybe finding a close out of state place would save you on tax...

Ed at brewmasters warehouse is great, and again, since he is so close to me, the shipping was practically next day.

I've ordered my kits and startup supplies from Quality Wine and Ale.. They have a decent selection and prices, but they are not the fastest shippers in the world. It has taken 2-3 days to get a small order out the door.

As a n00b, I'm fortunate to have a good LHBS a short drive away. I will give them business whenever possible even if it costs a little more than what I could do online. (This homebrewing hobby is like owning a Barbie doll... $10 for the doll, and then I can't help endlessly accessorizing...I walk into the store and somehow I walk out with another purchase...and I haven't bottled my first brew!).

However, my LHBS didn't have a Vinator ($15 on Amazon) or 3-gallon Better Bottles ($34.99 for a two-pack on Amazon -- they are getting them in early Feb and we have Amazon Prime, though even without Prime that seems like a heckuva deal). It took me about ten minutes of reading about the Vinator before I said that is so obviously a smart choice. (We have a name for it in this house that is not polite for public use -- let's just say I looked at it and thought, I've seen these in Europe ;-) )

I also prefer supporting the LHBS, but for me there came a time when they simply could not or would not provide what I want or need. Didn't take long either, unfortunately; I'm only on my third batch. So...

Midwest gets my vote to the top of the heap because they offer a (super duper informative) print catalog, because they offer a free instructional DVD with purchase, and because they provided knowledgeable answers to complicated problems no one else could or would. Excellent service, prompt delivery, and superior advice . . . they'll be getting more of my business.

So will the LHBS, to be sure.

I wish there was a good LHBS nearby... I'm in Jersey, and I've seen others complaining of the same thing..